8 Famous People With IBD

Famous athletes, actors, and other well-known figures may seem like they lead glitzy, glamorous, and picture-perfect lives. But ulcerative colitis, a form of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), even hits the Hollywood set and famous people everywhere, with symptoms like diarrhea and stomach pain that interrupt their time in the spotlight. Find out how these famous people manage to use their fame for IBD awareness, and how they smile for the public while battling with their IBD symptoms.

Photo Credit: Getty Images; AP Photo; Wikimedia

Amy Brenneman

Amy Brenneman is a
well-known Hollywood actress who has starred in television hits like Judging
Amy,Grey's Anatomy, and Private
Practice. Off-camera, she uses her celebrity as a strong supporter
of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. Brenneman struggled with
ulcerative colitis, one form of IBD, for years before she finally agreed to surgery,
which she says on the CCFA Web site is what ultimately healed her. Brenneman is
an advocate for CCFA, because she wants to help the millions of others
struggling with ulcerative colitis.

Photo Credit: Matt Sayles/AP Photo

John F. Kennedy

The former president may have had a
heart-stopping smile, but behind it was pain. Though it was hidden from the
public during his presidency, JFK struggled for most of his life with severe diarrhea
and took antispasmodic drugs to try to control his IBD. Reviews of his medical
records indicate that he may have suffered from ulcerative colitis, and some
reports show he was diagnosed as a child. Other reports on his health indicate
that he may have had IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, rather than ulcerative
colitis.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Marvin Bush

Marvin Bush is the
youngest son of former President George H.W. Bush. In 1990, he was a celebrity spokesman
for the National Foundation for Ileitis and Colitis, speaking out about the
ulcerative colitis diagnosis
he received in 1985, when he was 28 years old. He tried medications, he told The
Baltimore Sun in an interview, but lived in denial about his IBD.
The next year, hospitalized after losing 30 pounds and suffering from severe
internal bleeding, he underwent surgery to remove his colon.

Photo Credit: Charles Dharaphak/AP Photo

Sir Steve Redgrave

Five-time Olympic rowing champion Sir Steve Redgrave is one of the most accomplished athletes in the world. As he was training for the Barcelona Olympic games, he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and suffered from severe flare-ups. He received treatment for his IBD and was able to successfully compete until his retirement after the 2000 Sydney Olympic games. Redgrave is one of many famous people who support Crohn's and Colitis UK and helps bring awareness to ulcerative colitis.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Fernando Pisani

Former Edmonton
Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks hockey player Fernando Pisani tried to ignore his
mild symptoms of ulcerative colitis after he was diagnosed. But in July 2007,
the celebrity hockey star was heading to the bathroom at least 30 times a day
and suffered from dehydration and muscle cramps, he told the Canadian Digestive
Health Foundation. He tried managing his ulcerative colitis with steroids and
pain relievers, but symptoms continued, resulting in a weight loss of 40
pounds. Finally, IBD treatment
with biologic drugs gave him relief and allowed him to him to get
back on the ice again.

Photo Credit: Rich Lam/Getty Images

Gregory Itzin

Gregory Itzin, a Hollywood celebrity who has starred in the drama series 24 and The Mentalist, lives with ulcerative colitis behind the cameras. He tells the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America that he's able to manage his symptoms with medication and diet. Itzin supports the Foundation and, in 2010, recorded a series of public service announcements to raise awareness of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Photo Credit: Christos Kalohoridis/Getty Images

Darren Fletcher

Soccer star Darren Fletcher, a midfielder for Manchester United, is struggling to maintain his superstar soccer celebrity while battling ulcerative colitis. Diagnosed in 2011, he had to sit out part of a season before he returned to the field in September 2012. But in January 2013, Fletcher announced he was stepping off the field again in order to undergo surgery to get his ulcerative colitis under control and hopefully be able to resume his career on the soccer field.

Photo Credit: Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images

Tony Snow

Tony Snow was the
outspoken press secretary for President George W. Bush who became a staff
member and D.C. celebrity when he started at the White House in 2006. Snow had already
openly discussed the fact that he struggled with ulcerative colitis, when in
2005, he was diagnosed and treated for stage 3 colon
cancer. In 2007, his cancer returned. Despite ongoing treatment, Snow
passed away at the age of 53 from the cancer.

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